Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton welcomes $3 billion in funding for Australian pharmacies as part of a deal struck between the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Labor Government.
The Nationals have successfully helped to obtain an extra $3 billion in funding for Australian pharmacies, in a deal struck between pharmacists and the Labor Government, following changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), which included 60-day dispensing.
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton welcomed the ‘peace deal’ which he said would help regional, rural and remote communities and those set to be most impacted, with the funding to be given over five years from July.
It comes after Mr Coulton and the Nationals protested and launched media campaigns against Labor’s doubling of prescription timeframes, which was announced in last year’s Budget.
“Labor’s ill-thought-out changes to the PBS were always going to have unintended consequences in the Parkes electorate, where the local pharmacist is often the only primary healthcare professional in many small towns,” Mr Coulton said.
“The PBS changes were an example of the Labor Government’s failure to understand the essential needs of everyday regional Australians and the consequences of 60-day dispensing.
“Labor did not think through the ramifications for regional, rural and remote Australia, which would add to medicine wastage and hoarding and lead to community pharmacies struggling to stock the medicine required. It would also seriously threaten the viability of many of our small pharmacies.
“Local pharmacies are an essential healthcare hub and we need to support them, not put additional pressure on them which could result in their having to cut down the services they offer in our towns, or worse still, close down. Pharmacists are often not just a supplier of necessary medications, but that all-important human contact for isolated people with chronic health conditions.
“While we’re still waiting on the details, I am pleased a deal has been reached and I’m proud to back the pharmacists in the Parkes electorate.
“The Nationals will always fight for the needs of regional Australia, especially when it comes to health.”
Walgett Pharmacy owner Sean Duong said it’s been a stressful year but he’s glad a deal has been made.
“I’m delighted an agreement has been reached but it’s too early to comment on what it means for us,” Mr Duong said.
“The devil’s in the detail; I need to know the finer details before making an assessment.”
White’s Pharmacy has been serving the Lightning Ridge community for more than 40 years. Owner Rhonda White said she is thankful to those who’ve worked hard to reach this agreement but was hesitant to comment until more detail was provided.
“The $3 billion investment sounds good in theory but it’s hard to know whether it’s going to help the little guys in the bush like us,” Ms White said.
“I think it’s going to depend entirely on where that money’s going, so I’m looking forward to finding out more details.”